Violet Eden Chapters 04 - Endless

her some of that.’ He glanced at me as I paled, half expecting Dadto leap up and throw a punch in his direction. ‘And she did the rest.’
    Dad flinched and glanced towards the hallway where Evelyn was eavesdropping. She didn’t look happy.
    ‘That is, in part, true,’ Dad confessed. ‘But I trusted you with Violet and I now hear you happily sent her, with an evil angel no less, to jump off a cliff in order to save your life!’
    I had to give it to Dad, he did have a way of presenting things in an unfavourable light.
    Lincoln’s composure didn’t falter. ‘I was unconscious and had no idea that she’d gone to embrace. I never wanted her to make the choice for me.’ His next words were heavy and slow. ‘I have to live with that for the rest of my life.’
    Dad shook his head. ‘And so you should.’
    I chose that moment to step forward. ‘Would you rather I was a different person, Dad?’
    He broke his eye-lock with Lincoln to look at me.
    ‘Would you rather I had let him die? Chose my future over his life?’
    Dad was silent.
    I glanced in Evelyn’s direction. ‘That’s not something I could’ve lived with.’ I walked to stand behind Lincoln, the symbolism not lost on anyone. ‘I’ve made choices. Some I regret, some will haunt me forever. But leaping off that cliff to become who I was supposed to be, to save him – that’s one choice I will never regret.’
    I couldn’t see Lincoln’s face, but his body was very still.
    Dad eventually cleared his throat and stood up. He was far from ready to forgive and forget.
    ‘Ihear what you say, Violet. But I can’t help but feel you’ve been forced into this world for the wrong reasons.’ He glared at Lincoln.
    Lincoln stood up. ‘I understand your feelings, Mr Eden. I look forward to changing your mind about me one day. But until then, I can only give you my word that I value Violet as both a person and a Grigori. And …’ he looked at me briefly, ‘I’d do anything for her.’ And with that, he made for the door.
    I followed him out to the lift. I’d expected him to be angry, ranting that Dad had lost his mind. But he was silent. Too silent.
    I pressed the lift button. Lincoln didn’t look at me.
    ‘He just wants someone to blame. It won’t last,’ I said quietly, wishing I could be there for Lincoln the way I wanted.
    He tried to say something, but closed his mouth again, as if he couldn’t speak, and shook his head.
    ‘Linc?’ I reached out, the tips of my fingers grazing his hand. The contact sparked the usual influx of soul-crushing hurt.
    Lincoln gripped my hand and suddenly, without warning, pulled me into his chest and wrapped his arms around me so tightly it was as if he was trying to weld us together.
    It was a rare display of raw emotion and an even rarer display of physical need. I held on to him just as tightly, neither one of us saying or doing any more. Just holding on. I breathed him in – sun and melting honey – my soul only craving for more.
    We stood like that until the elevator doors slid open. Lincoln sighed and pulled away from me, his hand moving to my jaw as he did, his thumb smudging my cheek in that way I loved,his emerald-green eyes piercing into mine. Wordlessly, he stepped into the lift.
    The moment the doors closed, my knees gave out and I dropped to the ground in literal agony. I gripped my chest and stomach as, from somewhere within, the magic that bound our souls was torn apart.
    I didn’t even hear the door open behind me, but suddenly Evelyn was there, crouching beside me. I felt a tentative hand on my back as I tried to hold back the tears of pain.
    ‘Are you hurt?’ she asked, her voice sharp and fast. I could feel her tension as she looked around for an enemy.
    ‘No,’ I managed to say.
    ‘Then what?’ she continued, looking me over. ‘I don’t under–’ she broke off, looking at me, then the lift. ‘Lincoln? This is–’ she stopped again. Then, sternly, she grabbed me by the shoulders, hauling me to my feet.
    ‘Tell me that you two are not involved!’ She shook me. ‘ Tell me you are not in love with your partner!’
    I tried to swallow back the pain, the punishment for touching him. I started to shiver.
    ‘Answer me now! Are you sleeping with him?’ Evelyn said, giving me one more shake, forcing my head up to hers. Her eyes were blazing and boring into me.
    ‘No,’ I said, tears streaming from my eyes, partly from physical pain, partly from my heart. I knew why she